Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith brought Mickael Pietrus into the NBA in 2003. Now Smith has drawn him across the country and a little closer to home. The Magic introduced the 6-foot-6 free agent Thursday after signing him away from the Golden State Warriors.

The Orlando Magic reached back to their successful past Tuesday and hired Brian Hill as their new coach. Hill, an assistant with the New Jersey Nets last season, took the Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance in 1995.

Orlando Magic general manager and chief operating officer John Weisbrod resigned Monday after 14 months on the job to pursue opportunities in hockey. The Magic went 36-46 last season, missing the playoffs but making a 15-game improvement over its 2003-04 record.

Chris Jent, 35, was dropped from the Orlando Magic's coaching search on Thursday, and now the franchise could finally be getting close to naming a successor with an extensive coaching background. Flip Saunders and Brian Hill seem to have emerged as the frontrunners in the race to become the franchise's next coach.

Injured guard Doug Christie said Wednesday that it would be "extremely difficult" for him to return to the Orlando Magic next season and he also openly questioned the truthfulness of general manager John Weisbrod in a 35-minute rant. Christie conducted a news conference via satellite and said he hoped to clear up the reasons as to why he hasn't been with the team since he was put on the injured list.

Tracy McGrady took aim at his former general manager, John Weisbrod, on ESPN Friday night. Asked if there was anyway he might have returned to Orlando this season, McGrady said: "Honestly, as long as John Weisbrod was the GM there was no way. ... 'He's an (expletive).'"